Most damage on moves doesn't happen in the truck — it happens in the box. Items moving against each other, or against the inside of the box, generate the impacts that break things. Our packers operate by one rule:
If you can hear it move when you shake the box, it will break by the time we open it.
The four-step protocol
- Wrap each item individually. Paper, bubble wrap, or both. The wrap creates a buffer that absorbs impact.
- Cushion the bottom of the box. 1-2 inches of crumpled paper or padding before anything goes in.
- Pack heaviest at the bottom, lightest at the top. Glass plates flat (not on edge — they survive vertical loads better than horizontal flexing).
- Fill every air gap. If the box shakes, add more padding. The shake test isn't optional.
Glassware (wine glasses, etc.)
Use cell pack dividers — same kind you get at wine stores. Each glass goes in its own cell, wrapped in 2 sheets of packing paper. Stems UP. Yes, stems up — they're stronger in compression than tension, and the rim doesn't take the weight that way.
Plates
Stack plates on their edge, not flat. Plates fail by flexing under their own weight when stacked horizontally; on edge they support each other. Pad between each plate with a single sheet of paper.
Electronics
Use the original boxes if you still have them. If not: anti-static bubble wrap (the pink stuff) around the device, then 2 inches of padding on every side inside a snug-fitting box. Cables coiled separately in a labeled bag taped to the device's box.
Framed art and mirrors
Tape an X across the glass corner-to-corner. This doesn't prevent breakage — it prevents a broken pane from shattering during the move. Wrap in foam first, then cardboard corners, then in a flat box sized exactly to the frame (no air gaps on the long edges).
Ceramics and small sculptures
Bubble wrap, then crumpled paper inside any hollow areas, then bubble wrap again, then snug into a small box. The small-box rule matters — the bigger the box, the more shifting room.
The "white-glove" tier
For irreplaceable items — art over $5,000, antiques, ceramics with sentimental value — ask for custom crating. We build a wooden crate around the wrapped item, foam-lined, with the item secured to all six sides. It's $80-$200 per crate but the item arrives identical to how it left.
Moving with a lot of fragile items? Get a full-service packing quote →